Fairmont Chateau Whistler $128

Travelocity.ca or the Fairmont site itself are currently offering outstanding bargains on fall travel. Book at the Fairmont Whistler, BC in September or October and rates are currently as low as $128 at a pre-paid rate.  (Two nights with the third night FREE, then averaged)

If you have ever paid $149 at a lousy hotel on a hockey or soccer trip to stay at the "team hotel" at the "team rate" only to be crammed into less than spectacular quarters you can see why I label this OUTSTANDING and a bargain.

Fairmont. Really, the reputation says it all.  Don't get me started on how amazing the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth is in Montreal.... I can go on and on!

Last fall, I took a trip to Whistler and enjoyed the sites and scenery of the recently past Winter Olympics. I also had the privilege of spending time with good friends and sharing a few laughs and a beer or two. Even though it's not ski season, it is definitely worth the trip. If you can get away for 3 nights, this might be the perfect deal for you.

Seek the story

Every destination has history. Once you visit you will have a history with that destination. These will be your personal memories.  But what about those who came before you?

Some of these details you can find on the Internet. Some of the special details will be found in asking your hotel clerk, your waitress and or the people you meet at the coffee shop.

When we went to Montreal, I looked up the history of our hotel... the grand, the incredible, Fairmont Queen Elizabeth. This is a stately hotel. This is a destination in itself. There is a train station built underneath it for goodness sake! It's european and regal and I felt privileged to visit and "live" there for a week.

It didn't take a lot of digging to find that this was the hotel where John Lennon and Yoko Ono staged their famous "bed-in" for peace. They wrote and recorded Give Peace a Chance there.  The Fairmont honours this history and has the very room labelled.

One evening, we went up two floors in the elevator and voila! It just added something to our trip.

It's an amazing Canadian icon. It's also pretty affordable. It runs about $100-$150 a night. A little more for the Club Level. (The views alone are worth it!)

Direct flights to Montreal (YUL) from Winnipeg (YWG) run about $400-$450. See Air Canada or Westjet for dates and prices.  The contrasts in the provinces, Manitoba and Quebec, are at times dramatic. Our province feels very young. Montreal, particularly Old Montreal takes you back in time and shows you a rich French culture.  It's a wonderful experience. A weekend isn't enough.